Last year, on our Gaming site, we hosted an event called Hat Dash,
where users earned "hats" for their gravatars by completing certain
tasks (analogous to badges). Certain actions would trigger the user
receiving a hat, which their gravatar could then "wear".

For example, editing a post would yield an editor-themed hat (fedora
with pen) to the editor. I've included some examples from last year in
the attachments.

Some examples:

This year.. we have the option of participating as well!

This event will run from 19 December 2012 to 4 January 2013. Users will be able to see their entire hat collection on http://winterba.sh. That site will also have a landing page, explaining the rules and other details of the event.

Individual users who don’t want to participate, don’t want to see hats, and/or are generally anti-hat will have an "I hate hats" option available, just as we had on Gaming last year.

The only visual change to the site itself will be the presence of the hats and the "I hate hats" button in the footer.

How long would the hats be visible on the site? Only for that date range or permanently?
– RJ CuthbertsonNov 15 '12 at 21:40

2

The ones on Gaming where visible only for the date range. That said, IMHO it would be cool if the behaviour was extended - keep the hats, but wear them only in special periods (sort of an advanced badge).
– SPArchaeologistNov 16 '12 at 7:37

Evil Mastermind (Mandark styled): have asked a question titled "How to corrupt content database?". Why should it use that graphic? Search the question and you will understand :P (hope @Shoban doesn't get mad for this ^_^ - always loved that question, and actually tried to find some creative answer)

We are the robots (Cardboard Robot styled, with Conchords logo): triggered the Captcha check (and let's hope that the check is the same as Stack...).

April fool special guests:

Weaponizzed Pony (Unicorn Head): entered thecode while on the meta site. Can add some cornify bonus for added effect.

[Title] Princess (Pink unicorn head with crown, wings and glittering effect): secret hat - requirement unknown. Must perform some specific actions while wearing the Weaponizzed Pony hat. Note that the title is random and changes beetween words like "Cute", "Glittering", "Nice" and so on...

I am starting to think that is the idea of the prizes that make people opt out of this. With the gamer Hat Dash you could win a console/some game if I don't recall wrong. Here some rumors says that you will win a Clippy peluche or a office logo t-shirt.... no wonder people are scared....
– SPArchaeologistNov 26 '12 at 13:14

2

I feel like we might as well stir things up a little and try it out. :)
– Kit MenkeNov 27 '12 at 14:45

1

@KitMenke, seeing the "great traffic" that meta usually gets, I belive that many of the user didn't even READ this post... so go figure. I belive that the decision is your. Or you can reverse the pool "all the evil, black hearted people that DON'T like hats (and unicorns, a thing that alone should be sufficient to issue a ban) post now or suffer in silence for about three weeks"
– SPArchaeologistNov 27 '12 at 15:37

2

@SPArchaeologist Agreed. I don't think anyone actually reads meta except the mods and a few people bored at work.
– RJ CuthbertsonNov 28 '12 at 21:40